In the opening level (from new game as detective) I came across at least two or three environment objects that helped reduce sanity. I've now just finished chapter 3 and have only seen perhaps as many since.

I understand that this is mostly up to the RNG, but I'm wondering if there are any sanity restoring consumables apart from the chocolate, because so far I don't think I've found any.

I suppose it goes with the theme, but almost every interactive story object reduces sanity, apart from the ones that give you a choice; It seems to hamper the exploration aspect when I'm deciding to avoid even checking a potential important clue because I don't want to lose more sanity. After finishing the first area and reaching the Unknown Place, I naturally checked the skeleton in the corner, and then died from sanity loss. Lucky I had a couple ankhs, but didn't even realize I could continue because I quit immediately after.

Also finding a book describing the potential recruitment opportunities in Arkham, Innsmouth and such makes me lose sanity... But biting out the tongue of a dead man so it can speak of Shub-Niggurath and Yog Sothoth from my own mouth doesn't!? I totally expected to lose sanity from that, and tried every other option before it.

Sanity always seems to be the biggest issue in Lovecraft themed games, it's hard to work properly. I will admit that this is a great deal more fair than the majority of Rogue-likes I've played over the years and sanity is easier to work with than hunger. Furthermore, I am pleasantly surprised at the frequency and tenor of references to multiple works.

I'll have to play quite a bit more to get the proper perspective, but it feels that a bit more variance on the sanity draining/restoring effects would support exploration and experimentation. Otherwise I've been very pleased by the experience in properly capturing the themes and spirit of Lovecraftian horror.